Lawn-mower cutting-reel sharpener



June 24 1924.

J. L. SPURG EON LAWN MOWER CUTTING REEL SIARPENER Filed O01). 8 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l ma? .515'55.: 3mm/dot 513,13 @t i: Ml

June 24 ,l 192.4.

J. L. SPURGEON LAWN MowER CUTTING REEL 'SHARPENER Filed oct. es'.r 1923 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 In/vento@ u. L Skagen/p,

l r gua( c ,1.5

Patented .lune 24, i924.

JOHN nsrnaenoiv, or Lann crrY, Iowa.

LAwNJvrownn. CUTTING-REEL sHAnrnnnR.'

Application led October 8, 1923. Serial No. 667,315.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN L; SrUnGnoN, citizen of the United States, residing at Lake City, in the county of Calhoun land State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mower CuttingeReel Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sharpening devices for the rotating cutting reel of Vlawny mowers and is of that type wherein means is provided for supporting a sharpening element in position to sharpen the knives of the cutting reel when the latter is rotated.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sharpening device of the above kind which embraces the desired' qualities of simplicity and durability of construction as well as efficiency in operation.

' Another object is to provide a sharpening device of the above kind adapted to be applied to the lower core and embracing` adjustability whereby the device may be usedY upon lawn mowers of various standard sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sharpening device for rotating cutting reels of lawn mowers embodying a sharpening eleme-nt supporting frame, proy vided with simple and eective means for detachably mounting the same upon alawn mower in an expeditious manner. v

Other objects are to provide for the adjustment of the sharpening element relative to the cutting reel and to provide simple and effective means for rotating the cutting reel during the sharpening operation.

Still further objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention isV better understood, and the saine consists in the vnovel form, combination and arrangement Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially uponl the line 2 2 of Figure 1. Y

Figurey 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken on the line' BH3 of Figure 1. v Y

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line lf-l of Figure 1.

Figure 5 isv an enlarged perspective view of the sharpening element holder, and l Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sharpening element.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates the rotating cutting Yreel of a lawn Vmower that includes a frame 6, between the side members of which the cutting reel 5 is disposed, said reel being provided with end shafts, one of which is indicated at 7 in Figurel. IThese shafts extend outwardly thru the side members of the frame 6 and have a single pinion'mounted thereon in a well knownmanner to engage the internal gear teeth of the adjacent traction wheel 9, whereby, upon forward movement of the lawn mower, the cutting reel is rotated in one direction, and whereby, upon rearward movement of the lawn mower, the cutting reel is allowed to remain still. -This type of lawn mower therefor provides for a central cut between the co-aXial traction wheelsv9 and for Vcausing vtravelling movement of the lawn mower, the latter 1s provided with a suitable rearwardly extending handle lO that is pivotally connected to the frame 6 at its forward lower endina well known manner, by means including diverging arms'll bolted thereto. Y The present invention embodies a sharpener particularly adaptable for use upon lawn mowers of'this well known type. 1

The ,sharpening device consists'of a U- shaped frame 12 having legs that are adjustable in length and which are provided with means as suitably indicated at 13A at their forward free ends for substantial engagement with the transverse brace bar 141. of the lawnl mower, which brace rodconnects the forward ends of the sideumembers ofthe mower frame 6 as shown clearly; in Figures l and 2. The frame i12 is adapted to be disposed above the cutting reel 5 and above the handle 10 so that 'the central transverse portionk of said frame extends across the handle 10, and the legs of the frame extend forwardly above the cutting reel.

The frame 12 is preferably constructed of three pipe sections 15, 16, and`17 that are joined, by means of elbows 1S, so that the pipe section 16 forms the intermediate transverse member of the frame,l and the pipe sections and 17 form the inner sections of the legs of the frame. The outer sections of the 'frame legs consist kof rods or bars 19, whose inner ends are threaded as at for being threaded into the forward ends of the sections 15 and 17, so that the legs are made adjustable in length, as above noted, the forward free ends of the rods 19 being of hook shape to provide the means 13 for detachably engaging the transverse brace rod 14 of the lawn mower.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the frame from the lawn mower, the hooks 13 are provided with set screws -as at 21, arranged to iinpinge the rear side of the brace rod 14 as shown clearly inFigure 2, and threaded through the hooks 13 vfor this purpose.

The intermediate transverse memberv 16 of the frame 12 may beformed in two pieces adjustably coupled by means of a T-iitting 22 having the depending branch 23 that overlies the handle 10 and in which is threaded one end of a U-beam clamp 24 that is shaped to partially embrace the; handle 10, and that is provided at its free end with a transverse set screw 25, arranged to im- `pinge against the under side of the handle 10, whereby the rear end of the frame is detachably mounted upon the handle and .effectively held against lateral `or vertical displacement when in use.

The forward ends of the inner leg sections 15 and 17 are externally threaded and disposed through openings in the upper-ends ,of depending' bars 26, the lower ends of which are suitably attached to atransversely extending sharpening element holder or supporting bar 27. A pair of nuts 28 are threaded upon the Iforward end of each leg section l15 and 17 at opposite sides of the bar 26 carried thereon. Thisv provides i means whereby the bars 26 and the sharpening element supported thereby may be adjusted-longitudinally of the leg` and effectively maintained in adjustedlposition.

The-holder 27 is preferably "formed with `angle iron Vwith the vertical rear flange thereof attached to the lower end of the bar y26 and provided with apair kof-openings kas at 29 for selectivegreeeption'of a bolt 3.0 that is adapted-,to pass through one of the openings 3l vin the sharpening element 32 for securing the latter to the-holder. The openings 31 extend-through thesharpening-.element at right angles to eachother and in different transverse planes, and provides means for attaching the sharpening element to the holder, so that all surfaces of said sharpening element may be used. In other words, the sharpening element 32 consists of a bar preferably of substantially rectangular cross section and having all four sides thereof adapted to act` as Ia sharpeni-ng surface for engagement with the knives of the cutting reel, and so that `a sharpening operation will be hadno matter which surface of the sharpening element is presented to the knives, the provision of the. openings 29 and 31 permitting thesharpening elements to be positioned for presenting any desired surface thereof to the knives. Also, the sharpening element is sufficiently long to extend from end to end of the knives for thereby sharpening the latter from end to endl without requiring any transverse movement of the Sharpener in operation.

Means is provided for rotating the cutting reel 5 in the .direction of the arrow a (Figure 2) during the-sharpening operation, or reversely to the direction in which said reel is rotated when the-lawn ymower is used for mowing purposes. This means embodies a suitable support 33 that is preferably of vU-shape vas-shown, and in the sides of whichfare journalled-a ypair .of transverse shafts 34 and 35. The shaft 34 has a crank handle v36 upon one end thereof for facilitating manual rotation of the same, and a relatively large gear37 is fixed upon the central portion .of the shaft 34 :between the sides of the support 33. -A pinion 33 is fixed upon the shaft between the sides of the .support 33 and in mesh with the gear 37, and oneh endof the shaft 35 projects through the opposite sides of the `support -33-fro1nthat adjacent which the vhandle 36 is positioned, and has a socket for reception ,of Athe adjacent.shaftvr 7 ofthe cutting reel. The-shaft 7-isadapted to be disposed in the socket of the'shaft35 after .the pinion has been removed-from said shaft 7, and the shafts 7, and35 are Vcoupled in any desired mannen-such as .by means of a cross pin asv-shown in Figure 1, extending 'through aligned openings in said shaft. By

Vsurfaceof the sharpening element 32, said knives will-be effectively sharpened within a short period of time.

Itis believed that the operation and advantages of the device will be readily unfor detachably mounting said frame above` said handle and the cutting reel, a sharpening element holder suspended from said frame at the rear of the reel, said frame being of U-shape in plan with the leg thereof extending parallel with the opposite sides of said handle when operatively disposed upon the lawn mower and embodying leg members adjustable in length.

2. In a sharpening device for the knives of a rotating lawn mower cutting reel, a frame having means engageable with the cross brace and handle of the lawn mower for detachably mounting said frame above said handle and the cutting reel, a sharpening element holder suspended from said frame at the rear of said reel, said frame being of U-shape in plan with the leg thereof extending parallel with the opposite sides of said handle when operatively disposed upon the lawn mower and embodying leg members adjustable in length, and means for facilitating adjustment of the sharpening element holder longitudinally of the frame leg.

3. In a sharpening device for the knives of a rotating lawn mower cutting reel,` a

frame having means engageable with the cross brace vand handle of the lawn mower for detachably mounting said frame above said handle and the cutting reel, a sharpening element holder suspended from said frame at the rear of the reel, said frame being. of U-shape in plan with the leg thereof extending parallel with the opposite sides of said handle when operatively disposed upon the lawn mower an-d embodying leg members adjustable in length, the means for detachably welding the frame upon the lawn mower comprising hook members upon the forward ends of the frame legs engageable over the cross brace ofthe lawn mower forwardly of the cutting reel and a U-clamp carried by the rear endV of the frame and engageable with the lawn V'mower handle.

4. In a sharpening device for the knives of a rotating lawn mower cutting reel, a frame having means engageable withthe cross brace and handle of the lawn mower for detachably mounting sai-d frame above said handle and the cutting reel, a sharpening element holder suspended from said frame at the rear of the reel, said sharpening element holder comprising depending bars connectedat their lower end by a transverse angle bar, means for detachably securing a sharpening bar torsaid angle bar in position to engage the knives of the cutting reel and for permitting presentation of any 4desired face of the sharpening bar to said knives.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my si nature.

JOHN L. SPURG ON. 

